The Day of the Triffids

Posted on | February 10, 2010 | 17 Comments

Last year (pre-blogging) I read The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham; I followed up immediately by purchasing the other revamped Penguin Wyndham series and then I read and reviewed Trouble With Lichen later in the year. At the beginning of this year I finally got around to reading what is considered Wyndham’s major work, The Day of the Triffids; I was not disappointed. Now I want to devour the remaining titles I own and am excited that Penguin Books have added to their Wyndham series since my last spree.

The Day of the Triffids was published in 1951 and, like much post-WWII, post-atomic bomb literature, it is post-apocalyptic. Set in London, Bill Masen wakes up in a hospital bed following eye-surgery; all is quiet and no nurses are attending to him even though today is the day he is due to have the bandages removed and it will be determined whether he can see. It soon transpires that nobody is coming to Bill’s assistance and he removes his own dressings, is delighted he has vision and goes to investigate what has happened to everyone else. Whilst Bill has retained his sight through the protection of post-surgical recovery, ironically most of the population has been rendered blind from having witnessed a meteor shower the previous evening. Dystopian literature at its earliest, the novel focuses on the immediate aftermath of the apocalyptic blindness and immediate devolution of society.

When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.

From its foreboding (yet lightly amusing) first line, The Day of the Triffids moves from what is at first the catastrophic fall-out from a freakish cosmic event to something far more sinister. The nightmarish scenario becomes all the scarier when Bill discovers that the Triffids, walking carnivorous plants that kill with a stinger to the eyes, are now preying on a humanity that are unable to protect themselves. Along with other luckily sighted people, Bill escapes the eerily desolate streets of London where survivors are scavenging and looting and the triffids converging, to the country; it is soon apparent, however, that the Triffids are multiplying and intentionally stalking survivors. Although the threat of the Triffids is built up to gradually the portent exists from the outside and the suspense grips, except for the rather dry chapter “The Coming of the Triffids”, which explains their origin and at its close sets forth the plants’ intelligence, their means of communication amongst their species and the danger they would pose to the human race given the opportunity.

In what is frighteningly prescient, Wyndham has in essence employed the dangers of genetic engineering at the core of his novel; Wyndham implies that the Triffids were bio-engineered in the Soviet Union and upon accidental air-borne release their superior vegetable oil was discovered and the world began to cultivate them for this resource. At the beginning of the novel it is assumed that the Americans are going to come in and save everyone but it is soon clear that this has been a worldwide event and the survival instinct kicks in. Many of the blind commit suicide and many of the sighted realise early on that to save themselves, the blind must perish; a commune of sighted and blind is quickly established to repopulate the world whilst other vigilante organisations materialise.

The Day of the Triffids is an accessible and addictive novel that I was on the edge of my seat reading; although written in the early 1950s it is not dated, excluding the socially-conscious commune. I highly recommend Wyndham for light (if heavy subject matter) and absorbing reads and especially to lovers of Dystopian fiction. Whatever you do though, do NOT watch the recent BBC adaptation; or, if you do watch it, do not -as I did- watch it promptly on the back of reading the book. Starring Dougray Scott; Joely Richardson; Brian Cox; Eddie Izzard (yes, even Eddie couldn’t save it) the modern updates came over as immensely cheesy and hyperbolic. I was very irritated by the changes made to the novel especially the ludicrous Vanessa Redgrave corrupt nun sub-plot and the exaggerated emphasis on plant-rights activists and the corruption of the government. Moreover, the onscreen representation of the Triffids was far removed from the one in my imagination.

Back to the text and here are some favourite quotes:

A nasty, empty feeling began to crawl up inside me. It was the same sensation I used to to have sometimes as a child when I got to fancying that horrors were lurking in the shadowy corners of the bedroom; when I daren’t put a foot out for fear that something should reach from under the bed and grab my ankle; daren’t even reach for the switch lest the movement should cause something to leap at me. I had to fight down the feeling, just as I had to when I was a kid in the dark.

There is an inability to sustain the tragic mood, a phoenix quality of the mind. It may be helpful or harmful, it is just a part of the will to survive – yet, also, it has made it possible for us to engage in one weakening war after another. But it is a necessary part of our mechanism that we should be able to cry only for a time over even an ocean of spilt milk – the spectacular must soon become the commonplace if life is to be supportable.

Comments

17 Responses to “The Day of the Triffids”

Stujallen
February 10th, 2010 @ 10:36 pm

a great book i read it years ago would put wyndham on par with ballard and is much better than that dire lifeless drama the bbc made us endure earlier in the year
kimbofo
February 10th, 2010 @ 10:36 pm

I read this one at school and loved it so much I ended up reading his entire back catalogue — I was 15 or 16 at the time.

Last year I read The Chrysalids and was amazed at how much I enjoyed re-reading it (in fact, I could barely remember the story line, because it had been more than 20 years since I first read it).

I think most of his novels are alarmingly prescient…

Have you read the Kraken Wakes yet? I’m keen to read that again… if I remember it’s about climate change.
Simon (Savidge Reads)
February 10th, 2010 @ 10:46 pm

I meant to read this over the New Year period, and it was almost the first book of 2010 and then for some reason I just didnt and I cannot remember why, but there was a reason. I have no reason not to now so may read this very soon. Delightful review.
Cath
February 10th, 2010 @ 11:23 pm

I was hugely into John Wyndham as a teenager, there not being huge amounts of sci fi around back then (1960s), not like there is now anyway. My favourite was The Chrysalids, which I really must reread sometime, and The Kraken Wakes. And I agree the latest BBC adaptation was ridiculous, plus I really couldn’t see the point of yet *another* go at it.
Mrs.B
February 11th, 2010 @ 12:56 am

I read this a while back and really enjoyed it. I have yet to read his other books though. Your review makes me want to reread Triffids and the rest of his catalogue.
I see you’re reading the Help. I just finished it and thought it was very good. Looking forward to your review
Jo
February 11th, 2010 @ 2:04 am

I had not heard of Wyndham or his novels before reading your review, but I am definitely intrigued. The novel sounds like it brings up all kinds of interesting questions, and I will be requesting it from my library (hoping they will have it!).
Jackie (Farm Lane Books)
February 11th, 2010 @ 7:30 am

I haven’t read any Wyndham yet, but do have several of his books here. Your review has persuaded me to read one in March. It sounds like the sort of book I love!
Tony
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:22 am

I read this (and several other Wyndham novels) while doing my GCSEs – many moons ago! There was another one about some semi-psychic kids who attempt to escape to New Zealand (another apocalypse), but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was called…
Verity
February 11th, 2010 @ 12:08 pm

You make that sound really good – Wyndham doesn’t appeal to me at all I’m afraid but I can see why you enjoyed it
Paperback Reader
February 11th, 2010 @ 12:46 pm

Stu, I’d agree that there are a lot of similarities between Ballard and Wyndham; good comparison. The adaptation really was dire.

Kim, both The Kraken Wakes and The Chrysalids are on my TBR.

I love his alarming prescience; his novels never appear dated because those horrors never fade.

Simon, I had intended to read it last year and then decided it would be one of my first of the year (it was fifth) but only getting around to reviewing it now. I hope you enjoy it!

Cath, The Chrysalids and The Kraken Wakes will definitely be read soon! I would have loved to have read his back catalogue as a teenager; my first classic sci-fi/Dystopia was Nineteen-Eighty Four.

The previous adaptation has been recommended and I may seek it out at some point to see if it’s any better.

Astrid, my review makes me want to read them all too! Hee. I’ll definitely be exploring more Wyndham this year; he was one of my favourite literary discoveries last year.

Yes, I have indeed started to read The Help and will post a review towards the end of the month, I think.

Oh, Jo, I hope your library has his books too and that you enjoy them! I think he is more well-known in the UK as one of the literary fore-runners in Sci-fi.

Jackie, I’m curious whether you will love his books… I think you may!

Tony, I think that one is The Chrysalids, which I haven’t yet read; although The Day of the Triffids is his most famous work, The Chrysalids is popularly regarded as his best so I can’t wait to read it.

Verity, it was very good! Not your cup of tea, I appreciate, but a compelling and interesting read.
Annabel (gaskella)
February 11th, 2010 @ 3:24 pm

Having recently read John Christopher’s book ‘The death of grass’ which was published 5 yrs after Triffids, I’m dying to re-read some Wyndham. I devoured them all (except the Kraken Wakes) when younger. The Chrysalids was my absolute favourite.
Jo
February 11th, 2010 @ 10:00 pm

This is the only Wyndham I have read (twice). I’d still forgotton that first line though! I have the Chysalids somewhere, but I never seem to get round to it.
Paperback Reader
February 14th, 2010 @ 8:27 pm

Annabel, I will definitely be reading The Chrysalids soon now that I know it is a favourite of everyone; perhaps we should both read The Kraken Wakes since that also comes highly recommended.

Jo, I thought it was a great opening line that was both gripping but had a lightish tone. Here’s hoping a future review of The Chrysalids will persuade you to finally read it.
Sharon (Bookpusher)
February 15th, 2010 @ 10:36 pm

Great review! I have been so slack lately and have missed so much online, I am busily catching up on everyone’s blogs, I can’t believe I have missed so much.
Triffids does seem to be such a relevant book today, I found myself thinking of concerns over GM crops and satellite weaponry. Wyndham is so readable, I find it interesting that so many people have fond memories of reading his books as teenagers. I also am planning on reading more of Wyndham this year. Midwich Cuckoos is next on my list.
Carl V.
February 16th, 2010 @ 6:46 pm

This is on my list of to-read books. I love the title of it, always grabs my attention when I see it on someone’s blog.
Recent Acquisitions | Paperback Reader
February 17th, 2010 @ 9:03 am

[...] Day of the Triffids” across the bottom of the front cover. I read The Day of the Triffids recently and this book was written at the same time, overshadowed by the former’s success, and [...]
Paperback Reader
February 17th, 2010 @ 11:11 am

Sharon, it is a welcome surprise that he tackles such big themes and yet is highly readable. I wish that I had devoured his back catalogue as a teenager but I am loving discovering them all now. The Midwich Cuckoos was my first and very good and unnerving.

Carl, it’s such a brilliant title for a book – full of foreboding and intrigue! I hope you manage to read it soon as I’d love to read your thoughts.